UH Professor Recognized for Contributions to Mathematics Education | C

Statewide Award Honors Carrie Cutler's Work to Make Math Accessible to All

Carrie S. Cutler, a clinical professor at the University of Houston College of Education, received a top achievement award from the Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics for nearly 30 years of work advancing the field through preparing future teachers, publishing on math teaching and learning, and leading professional organizations.

Throughout her career, Cutler has been driven by one goal: to make every child and teacher feel like a "math person" by making the subject more accessible, engaging and meaningful.

Cutler was presented with the Texas council's 2026 E. Glenadine Gibb Achievement Award in June. The recognition is given annually to a Texas mathematics educator who has made contributions to the field at the state and/or national level. The award is named for Gibb, a mathematics education researcher at the University of Texas at Austin and former president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

A graduate of the UH College of Education's Ed.D. program, Cutler also has won teaching awards from the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children and the University of Houston. She discusses her work and her belief that mathematics is for everyone in the following Q&A.

What is the driving purpose behind your work in mathematics education?

My purpose has been to help every child (and every teacher) see themselves as a "math person." Too many people carry anxiety or limiting beliefs about mathematics, often because of experiences that made math feel like a test of speed or innate ability. I want classrooms to be places where learners are curious, take risks, explain their thinking, use meaningful tools and experience mathematics as creative and connected to their lives. When teachers develop confidence and a math-positive mindset, that influence extends to countless children and families.

How has your work at the University of Houston helped you advance mathematics education and support students and educators?

The University of Houston has given me the opportunity to support educators at many stages of their professional journeys -- from undergraduate students preparing for their first classrooms to graduate students developing expertise as teachers, coaches, researchers and leaders. In my courses, I strive to connect research with practice through children's mathematical thinking, problem solving, discourse, culturally responsive tasks, manipulatives and differentiated instruction.

I have also developed open educational resources to reduce costs and improve access, mentored students in research and professional presentations, and collaborated with colleagues on projects related to mathematical mindsets, equity, teacher preparation and early childhood education. Most importantly, I have had the privilege of watching students become confident educators who recognize and nurture the mathematical brilliance of every child.

The council's Glenadine Gibb Achievement Award recognizes contributions to mathematics education at the state or national level. Looking back, what accomplishments or initiatives do you believe this honor recognizes most?

I believe it recognizes the ways I have worked to make mathematics more accessible, joyful and meaningful for children and the adults who teach them. That work includes preparing future teachers, providing professional learning for practicing educators, publishing books and articles on math-positive teaching and sharing practical strategies through presentations across Texas and nationally.

I am especially proud of my leadership as president of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators-Texas and as a national co-lead of National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) Early Mathematics Interest Forum. These roles have allowed me to bring educators together, strengthen the visibility of early mathematics, and build connections among organizations such as NAEYC and NCTM.

Although my name is on the award, it represents years of learning and collaborating with an extraordinary community of educators.

What do you hope students, fellow educators and the broader education community take away from your work and this recognition?

I hope they take away the message that mathematics truly is for everyone. Children do not need to fit a narrow image of what a successful mathematics student looks or sounds like; they need opportunities to think, wonder, play, talk, make mistakes and approach problems in different ways. I also hope this recognition highlights the importance of early mathematics and the extraordinary work of the educators who build children's mathematical identities from the very beginning. Small, intentional changes in teaching can have a lifelong influence on how learners see mathematics and how they see themselves.

What advice would you give future mathematics educators who hope to make a lasting impact in the field?

Stay curious about how children think and listen carefully to the ideas they share. Build strong relationships, seek out collaborators and do not be afraid to revise your teaching when students show you a better path. Lasting impact rarely comes from one grand accomplishment; it grows from countless daily decisions to notice students' strengths, ask meaningful questions, and create spaces where every learner belongs. Above all, protect your own joy in mathematics and teaching -- because enthusiasm, like anxiety, is contagious.